Vucic calls for talks with Russia, Moscow rejects supplies to countries with price ceiling

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called on Europe to open negotiations with Russia and other suppliers on energy supplies amid a major oil crisis caused by the military conflict in the Middle East.

„I hope that Europe will understand this, adopt some changes or start negotiations with other suppliers to limit the scope of this oil crisis as much as possible - with Russia and others. I don't see any other solution,“ the Serbian leader said in a speech to the nation.

The current contract for Russian gas supplies to Serbia expires on 31 March. Vucic said he had managed to negotiate a three-month extension of the contract.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that contacts on the gas deal are indeed ongoing, while stressing that Russia is ready to remain a reliable energy supplier for various markets - Europe not excluded.

While Moscow is offering dialogue on supply, it is also taking a tougher stance towards countries that have joined the price cap mechanism on Russian oil.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrej Rudenko warned in an interview with the Izvestia daily that Russia will not supply oil to countries that keep the cap in place. He cited the example of Japan, whose government is bound by a commitment to apply a price ceiling - a measure Rudenko described as anti-market and distorting supply chains. He also added that official requests from foreign countries will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the priority remaining the state of mutual relations and the protection of Russia's national economic interests.

gnews.cz - GH